Sano's Surprise
by Vuumuu
Summary: Sanosuke's been acting pretty sneaky lately... the other members of the dojo dismiss it until he is caught watching Kaoru in her room after a shower. Kaoru is mad, until she finds out what he was truly up to... (KenshinxKaoru)


Sano's surprise   
By: FaerieFlit  
  
  
  
  
"Hmmm hmmm, hmmm." Kenshin hummed merrily as he washed the sheets in the big wood basin. Soap bubbles floated up and popped on his shirt and nose, and water splashed over the edge, soaking the ground. The Kamiya school was quiet but for the faint sound of Kaoru and Yahiko practicing in the dojo. The sound of the clashing wooden swords grew louder as Kenshin paused.   
  
His eyes narrowed as the muted sound of low voices drifted out into the yard from the thicket. The voices murmured low and huskily, whispering. He could not make out the words, but he could tell one of the mysterious persons was Sanosuke.  
  
He glanced in the direction of the dojo, then back at the bushes, concealing the two. /What am I thinking?/ Kenshin's smile returned. /That's Sanosuke, it is. I've no reason to worry, that I don't./   
  
He finished washing the sheets, and wiped his hand across his sweat-dampened forehead. The soapy waters sloshed out of the basin as he pulled out the first sheet and wrung it out. He hung it up across the thick string and watched with satisfaction as crystal droplets fell from the sparkling white cloth. /Miss Kaoru will like how clean these are, that she will./ He thought to himself, smiling.  
  
As he hung up the last sheet and turned to go, toting the empty basin, he saw Sanosuke leave the thicket, grinning broadly, as if he had just defeated a powerful foe.  
  
/He sure is acting strangely this day, a true statement, that is./ Kenshin thought. He watched as Sanosuke entered the house, then returned the basin to the storage shed. Kenshin shrugged it off and went to join Kaoru and Yahiko in the dojo.   
  
He listened with relish to the solid thud of the wooden swords and felt the vibration. He loved to watch the Assistant master and her student practice. Yahiko leaped backward and his sword collided with Kaoru's as she lunged. She knocked the sword from his hands with one efficient sweep, laced with a twist. He stood and retrieved his sword, then bowed to Kaoru.  
  
"You know, I never wanted to admit it, but I guess even girls as ugly as you can be good." He mumbled, dusting himself off.   
  
Kenshin continued to smile his gentle smile as a small body flew by his head, missing his scared cheek by inches.   
  
"I'm hungry." Sanosuke walked into the dojo, and looked back and forth between Kenshin and Kaoru. "Wait- nevermind." He turned from Kaoru and looked at Kenshin. "I'm hungry." Steam spouted from Kaoru's ears, and her face grew red, but she managed to resist an urge to choke Sano.   
  
"Well," Kenshin smiled. "How about we go out today? I'm afraid the garden is empty, it is."  
  
"Yeah!" Yahiko piped up from outside. He climbed back up the steps and slipped off his shoes. "Beef hotpots!"  
  
Sanosuke nodded in approval. Kenshin watched him, then turned to Kaoru.  
  
"Yes, Kenshin! That was a great idea." She hung up her sword, then walked to the doorway, slipping on her shoes. There was a cherry-blossom scented breeze, and petals whispered through the doorway. "Well," Kaoru began, turning back. "let's go!"  
  
  
  
  
"Yum!" Yahiko chewed noisily, capturing chunks of meat and potatoes between his chopsticks, and popping them into his mouth. The delicious steam rising from the pan filled the entire restaurant, and all four diners inhaled deeply. It was nice to get away from Kenshin's eggplant dinners every once in a while.  
  
All the same, they were fully aware of what was around them. They had had way too many close calls in this particular place.  
  
Kenshin sipped the juices from his bowl and reached for more, just as he felt the presence of attention behind him. He raised his eyes to Sano, who was staring across the room at something to Kenshin's rear. Kenshin sensed that it was a person who wanted something; was waiting- watching- Sanosuke.   
  
Sano excused himself, and Yahiko and Kaoru watched him go, mouths stuffed full. "Where's he- going?" Kaoru swallowed, and looked at Kenshin.  
  
"Yeah!" Yahiko followed her example, sipping from his bowl, then reaching for more. "If he doesn't hurry, I'll eat his share."  
  
Kenshin listened to the retreating footsteps, and once again found himself wondering what was going on with Sanosuke. He had been strange that morning also, talking to someone, secluded, in the grove.   
  
Kaoru shrugged, and smiled at him. "Eat up, Kenshin!" Kenshin answered with a smile, and turned back to his food.  
  
  
  
  
Late that night Kaoru finished up her shower and wrapped a towel around her as she left the bathroom, then tiptoed into her room, closing the door. She sat down on her bed in front of the window, and began combing her hair with her fingers. When all the tangles were out, she dropped her towel and stood, looking over her body. As she examined a scratch from sparring that morning, she wondered about Sanosuke. He had been popping in and out all day, running off to different places and meeting with people in private. Kenshin had been tense, also, and she was afraid that something was brewing between them.   
  
She looked out toward the window, eyes closed, concentrating on the aroma of Japanese roses on the gentle wind. The tingle grew as dew from the heavens gathered on her cold cheek and exposed body. Slowly, seeing the lunar glow through her half-closed lids, she opened her eyes...  
  
And screamed.  
  
Sanosuke was sitting right outside her window, on a rock that jutted out over the small pond, watching her. She grabbed for the covers, and when she looked back up, he was gone. She dropped the covers and sighed in relief.  
  
The door slammed open.  
  
"Is everything all right, Miss... Kaoru..." Kenshin trailed off, drop-jawed.  
  
"What's going on?!" Yahiko slid into the doorway beside Kenshin.  
  
Kaoru screamed again.  
  
"Uhh, beg my pardon, Miss Kaoru!" Kenshin blushed furiously and turned away, grabbing yahiko none too roughly and whipping him out into the hall. "I heard you scream, I did, and I came running, that is all."   
  
Kaoru grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her, storming over to the two. "Move out of the way!" Kenshin and Yahiko were shoved roughly aside, and watched in bewilderment as Kaoru stomped over to the door out onto the porch. "I'll get that Sanosuke! If he knows what's good for him he'll be long gone..."  
  
"Sano? What did he do?" Yahiko asked. He studied Kenshin's expression. "I thought he went out for a walk?"  
  
"He did, the truth it is. I've no idea what could cause Miss Kaoru such anger, that I don't." Kenshin studied the room. Everything seemed fine... but the window. Why would she have the window open, after she had readied for bed?  
  
  
  
  
  
"Allright. I see what's going on. He's become a bad guy again." Kaoru stated dryly, grouchily. She bit angrily into the rice ball, ignoring the look of amazement Yahiko was sending her way after he had watched her eat ten rice balls in three minutes.  
  
"Now, please don't jump to conclusions, Miss Kaoru." Kenshin fell over as three rice balls hit him in the head.  
  
"Well, where is he then? He ran away, that's what he did!" She grabbed Kenshin's shirt and shook him up and down, Yahiko watching curiously.  
  
"Ha! So he must be being chased, right? Police still after him? That's crazy!" Yahiko snorted and picked up a rice ball.  
  
"Please... Miss Kaoru... I'm sure it is nothing..." Kenshin managed to squeak out.   
  
Even though he said that, he still had doubts. But would Sanosuke really just pick up and leave like that? He thought he knew the former fighter-for-hire better than that...  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a quiet evening as Kenshin sat examining a scroll, and Kaoru stitching up a whole in one of Yahiko's kimonos. Yahiko had nodded off to sleep, and the doctor and his granddaughters left. Suddenly the two candles that Kenshin had lit blew out; yet there was no breeze that night.   
  
Kenshin jerked up; for once he had been caught off guard. Kaoru looked around, then at Kenshin, and Yahiko jerked awake when she nudged him.  
  
Suddenly Kenshin relaxed; a small smile graced his lips. "What was it, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked. She folded her hands in her lap, and the silky fabric of her dress crinkled.  
  
"It is Sanosuke, it is." Kenshin grinned, his lavender eyes flashing.  
  
Kaoru felt a warm hand on her shoulder. "I did not run away, Kaoru; I just went for a walk." Kaoru's head snapped back, and her eyes grew wide as Sanosuke handed her a package wrapped in colorful paper. "Don't get any ideas- were just friends, but did you forget that today is the day of your birth?"  
  
"Of course not!" She growled. "And why did you think I was so mad when you left? You big jerk! Besides, I've no interest in you anyway." Sano drew back in surprise, but not before Kaoru landed him a good one in the cheek.  
  
"There's that hard right of hers again, eh, Sanosuke?" Kenshin teased as the figure propping himself back up on the floor grumbled. Yahiko laughed and relit the candles.  
  
"And Miss Kaoru, here is my gift." Kenshin reached behind him and pulled out a large box decorated with indigo ribbons.  
  
"Oh, and mine!" Yahiko laughed and teased Sanosuke as he handed over a tiny blue package, then ducked as Sano grabbed for his scrawny neck.  
  
"Well, this is unexpected!" Kaoru laughed.  
  
"Sure it is!" Yahiko whispered, giggling. "She knew we would get her gifts, or she would've beat us up!" Yahiko laughed out loud as Kaoru shot him a dark look. "I bet all ugly girls are like that!"  
  
Whatever had been in Yahiko's gift was probably crushed into tiny pieces now, seeing as it had been rammed into his nose.  
  
"Now." Kaoru smiled and began to open Kenshin's gift. It was a brand new violet and red kimono, decorated with black sashes and oriental roses and swallows. "Wow, Kenshin!" Kaoru dropped the gift and glomped Kenshin, squeezing tightly. Kenshin's face turned a dark red. Yahiko couldn't figure out if it was from Kaoru hugging him or the bone-crunching squeeze.  
  
She wiped the tears from her eyes and laid the carefully folded dress out beside her. She picked up Sanosuke's gift and began to unwrap it. As she peeled back the last layer of silk, and gasp tumbled from her lips.   
  
The deep, shining orange and brown glow of turtle shell danced in minuscule rainbows across the walls, flickering like the firelight that cast it around. Sanosuke's gift was a large, glossy, pearl-encrusted turtle-shell comb, nestled in a box full of royal blue silk.  
  
"I... don't understand..." she murmured.  
  
"You wondered why I was watching you that night, Kaoru?" Sanosuke asked, as he stared at the crackling, hissing fire. His eyes flashed with mischief. "I saw you running your hands through your hair... I thought you deserved something like this."  
  
"And how you were always leaving..." Kenshin added.  
  
"We live so far from the ocean, I had to hunt down many merchants to find what I was looking for." Sano looked up, and watched Kaoru's face.   
  
"Thank you so much..." She hugged him tightly, and apologized for yelling, and, well, punching him.  
  
She ran off to her room to try on her new kimono and to comb her hair with the turtle-shell and pearl gift, leaving a smile and two grins in her wake.   
  
  
  
  
  
Later, as Sanosuke watched Kenshin and Kaoru talking on the bridge from his perch in the tree, he decided that the gift he had chosen was right.   
  
Kaoru looked down at her feet, and leaned into Kenshin. He smiled and spoke softly to her, and started in surprise as she tilted her head up and rose on her toes. The two kissed, and the last rays of the fading silver moonlight glanced off a deep orange, brown, pearl-encrusted comb nestled in the Kamiya School Assistant Master's long black locks, curling gently down her neck, and brushing against a beautiful violet and crimson kimono.  
  
  
  
  
  
~~~Owari~~~   
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
